Vermont Business Magazine Dartmouth Cancer Center achieved a significant advancement in lung cancer care by performing its first combined robotic lung procedure under a single anesthesia. This milestone involved specialists from thoracic surgery and interventional pulmonology collaborating to enhance patient outcomes.
During the procedure, physicians used robotic bronchoscopy—a minimally invasive technique offering precise airway navigation—to locate a 7-millimeter lung nodule. The team successfully biopsied and marked the nodule with dye, facilitating its removal without removing additional lung tissue. Subsequently, surgeons employed robotic-assisted surgery to excise the targeted lung area.
This integrated approach, known as single anesthesia bronchoscopy and resection (SABR), is now available through Dartmouth Cancer Center's Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program. This method provides several patient benefits including; reduced anesthesia exposure, precise tissue removal, preservation of healthy lung tissue, and real-time diagnosis and treatment.
"This is another example of how we're bringing advanced, patient-centered thoracic cancer care to our region," said thoracic surgeon Dana M. Ferrari-Light, DO, MPH, who participated in the procedure. "It reflects not only the technology we have but how closely our specialists work together, that we could integrate seamlessly into the same operating room."
By expanding innovative, team-based approaches like SABR, Dartmouth Cancer Center ensures that patients in north of Boston have access to advanced lung cancer care and technology typically found in major cities, without the need to travel far from home.
Ferrari-Light worked side-by-side with interventional pulmonologist David J. Feller-Kopman, MD. “This procedure really highlights our multi-disciplinary efforts to ensure that our patients are receiving the best possible care,” said Feller-Kopman, referring to Dartmouth Cancer Center’s highly trained, highly experienced surgical team, advanced practice providers, and administrative staff. “Their coordination and ability to collaborate across specialties make it possible to seamlessly combine complex procedures in one setting—ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.”
2.11.2026. Lebanon, NH – Dartmouth Cancer Center
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